Commission reviews the Regulation
governing the European Environment Agency (EEA)

The European Commission has adopted a proposal to amend the
Regulation which governs the functions and tasks of the European
Environment Agency in Copenhagen. The proposal includes a report which
recognizes the promising results from the first full two years of work
of the Agency. The proposal affirms the existing tasks and mandate of
the Agency, and defines certain tasks relating to support to the
implementation of European Union environmental legislation and the
diffusion of environmental information, where the Agency's role could
be enforced. The Agency should develop into a one-stop-shop for
environment information and data with modern Internet-based
communications to facilitate access across Europe.

Upon a proposal of Ritt Bjerregaard, Commissioner for the
Environment, the European Commission has today adopted a proposal to
amend the Regulation 1210/90 which governs the functions and
tasks of the European Environment Agency. This revision was required by
the terms of the Agency Regulation.

This proposal includes a report that illustrates good progress and
promising first results from the first full two years of work of the
European Environment Agency. In this short period of time, the agency
has succeeded in building the basis of a European network of
institutions and individuals who can contribute to our knowledge on the
state and prospects of the environment. The first fruits of this
collaboration are now available, notably information on air pollution,
water issues, land cover and the 1995 reports 'Europe's
environment: the Dobris assessment' and 'Environment in the European
Union'.

To build on these first results, the Commission has agreed a
programme of co-operation with the Agency, notably on the production of
a pan-European State of the Environment Report in 1998. This sort of
detailed information will be an important component of environment
policy making and the Agency is now well placed to deliver the
goods.

However, to be able to produce this report and the supporting work
which underpins it, the Agency must have the opportunity to build upon
the progress it has achieved. This proposal is aimed at ensuring just
that. This proposal recognises the promising start made by the Agency
and the need to ensure that these first efforts are consolidated and
reinforced.

The proposal affirms the existing tasks and mandate of the Agency
but defines in more detail certain tasks where the participation of the
Agency could be strengthened, such as support to the implementation of
Community environmental legislation; diffusion of information on
environmental research of relevance to policy makers; and in
particular, the Agency should develop into a European Reference Centre,
a one-stop-shop for environment information and data with modern
Internet-based communications to facilitate access across Europe.

This review is the first step in an on-going process to
ensure the best possible orientation and relevance of the Agency's work
and products. This first assessment is- positive and the consequent
proposal will give the Agency the opportunity to progress further and
to provide much needed information on the state of the environment.

Background Information

The decision to establish the Agency in Denmark (Copenhagen) was
taken in October 1993. It has 60 or so staff and an annual budget which
is currently 16.7 Mecu. Its remit was to provide policy-makers at
national and European level with comparable, objective and reliable
information on the environment.

Article 20 of the Regulation 1210/90 required a review of tasks by
October 1995, but this was postponed for two years by Council following
initial delays in getting the Agency to full operational capacity.

]]>1997-06-15T22:00:00ZCommission reviews the Regulation governing the European Environment Agency (EEA)42011middle1997-06-15T22:00:00Z1002011-04-13T19:55:23Zreview.html Commission reviews the Regulation governing the European Environment Agency (EEA)
Brussels, 16 June 1997
Commission reviews the Regulation
governing the European Environment Agency (EEA)
The European Commission has adopted a proposal to amend the
Regulation which governs the functions and tasks of the European
Environment Agency in Copenhagen. The proposal includes a report which
recognizes the promising results from the first full two years of work
of the Agency. The proposal affirms the existing tasks and mandate of
the Agency, and defines certain tasks relating to support to the
implementation of European Union environmental legislation and the
diffusion of environmental information, where the Agency's role could
be enforced. The Agency should develop into a one-stop-shop for
environment information and data with modern Internet-based
communications to facilitate access across Europe.
Upon a proposal of Ritt Bjerregaard, Commissioner for the
Environment, the European Commission has today adopted a proposal to
amend the Regulation 1210/90 which governs the functions and
tasks of the European Environment Agency. This revision was required by
the terms of the Agency Regulation.
This proposal includes a report that illustrates good progress and
promising first results from the first full two years of work of the
European Environment Agency. In this short period of time, the agency
has succeeded in building the basis of a European network of
institutions and individuals who can contribute to our knowledge on the
state and prospects of the environment. The first fruits of this
collaboration are now available, notably information on air pollution,
water issues, land cover and the 1995 reports ' Europe's
environment: the Dobris assessment ' and ' Environment in the European
Union '.
To build on these first results, the Commission has agreed a
programme of co-operation with the Agency, notably on the production of
a pan-European State of the Environment Report in 1998. This sort of
detailed information will be an important component of environment
policy making and the Agency is now well placed to deliver the
goods.
However, to be able to produce this report and the supporting work
which underpins it, the Agency must have the opportunity to build upon
the progress it has achieved. This proposal is aimed at ensuring just
that. This proposal recognises the promising start made by the Agency
and the need to ensure that these first efforts are consolidated and
reinforced.
The proposal affirms the existing tasks and mandate of the Agency
but defines in more detail certain tasks where the participation of the
Agency could be strengthened, such as support to the implementation of
Community environmental legislation; diffusion of information on
environmental research of relevance to policy makers; and in
particular, the Agency should develop into a European Reference Centre,
a one-stop-shop for environment information and data with modern
Internet-based communications to facilitate access across Europe.
This review is the first step in an on-going process to
ensure the best possible orientation and relevance of the Agency's work
and products. This first assessment is- positive and the consequent
proposal will give the Agency the opportunity to progress further and
to provide much needed information on the state of the environment.
Background Information
The decision to establish the Agency in Denmark (Copenhagen) was
taken in October 1993. It has 60 or so staff and an annual budget which
is currently 16.7 Mecu. Its remit was to provide policy-makers at
national and European level with comparable, objective and reliable
information on the environment.
Article 20 of the Regulation 1210/90 required a review of tasks by
October 1995, but this was postponed for two years by Council following
initial delays in getting the Agency to full operational capacity.
review.html